GORDON CHISHOLM last night branded Dundee’s board of directors a “disgrace” for the mismanagement which led to 13 people losing their jobs.

The former Queen of the South manager was sacked along with assistant Billy Dodds just seven months after joining the club as administrator Bryan Jackson began his attempt to save Dundee by slashing wages.

Physio Karen Gibson was dismissed but later reinstated when Jackson was told that under league rules the club must operate with medical back-up. Youth coach Barry Smith will take the team for today’s match with Stirling Albion and will be assisted by players Matt Lockwood and Rab Douglas. Chisholm, who was employed in March after Jocky Scott was dismissed with Dundee sitting top of Division One, blasted the directors for allowing the club to fall into such a state.

He said: “Someone has got to be answerable for what has happened here today. It’s an absolute disgrace.

“For this to happen to ourselves, players, office staff and the fans is disgraceful.

“Things will come out in the next few weeks and people will have a clear idea of what’s been going on here.

“Today is more about the club and the people being laid off.

“There is real anger about the way this has been allowed to develop.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before and I don’t want to ever again.

“Billy and I left good jobs to come here but now is not the time to talk about it.

“Lets focus on what people are going through. The people losing their jobs don’t deserve it.”

Chisholm was first to go in to see Jackson along with right-hand man Dodds, having offered to take significant wage cuts in order to help the club survive. But with 70 per cent of the wage bill being trimmed, Jackson told them he could not even entertain saving their jobs.

Former Rangers and Scotland striker Dodds, who played for Dundee in the early Nineties, experienced his worst day in more than 20 years in the game.

Dodds said: “This is the lowest point in my career, without doubt.

“Things will come out about this in the weeks to come. The former accountant goes to press in December and January saying things started to go, and by March it was on a knife-edge.

“We didn’t come here until late March so people will make up their own minds about that. They knew what state the club was in when they brought us here. As I say, this will all come out but right now let’s just concentrate on the club surviving.

“Today is not the day but in time people will have to stand up and admit what has happened.

“Anger is the word to describe it. People have got to be accountable, you can’t just brush what’s gone on under the carpet.

“The atmosphere was as expected in there. Tears were shed and it wasn’t nice to see.

“I’m gutted for everyone, the players and the staff. It’s grim, things have to be done to keep the club alive.

“We have been told there is four weeks to get money involved and to broker a deal.”